Martin Diewald, Anne Goedicke, and Karl Ulrich Mayer (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804752084
- eISBN:
- 9780804779456
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804752084.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was the beginning of one of the most interesting natural experiments in recent history. The East German transition from a Communist state to part of the Federal ...
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The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was the beginning of one of the most interesting natural experiments in recent history. The East German transition from a Communist state to part of the Federal Republic of Germany abruptly created a new social order as old institutions were abolished and new counterparts imported. This unique situation provides an exceptional opportunity to examine the central tenets of life-course sociology. The empirical chapters of this book draw a comprehensive picture of life-course transformation, demonstrating how the combination of life-course dynamics coupled with an extraordinary pace of system change affect individual lives. How much turbulence was created by the transition and how much stability was preserved? How did the qualifications and resources acquired before 1989 influence the fortunes in the restructured economy? How did the privatization and reorganization of firms impact individuals? Did the transformation experiences differ by age/cohort and gender? How stable were social networks at work and in the family? Were personality characteristics important mediators of post-1989 success or failure, or were they rather changed by them? How specific were the East German life trajectories in comparison with those of Poland and West Germany?Less
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was the beginning of one of the most interesting natural experiments in recent history. The East German transition from a Communist state to part of the Federal Republic of Germany abruptly created a new social order as old institutions were abolished and new counterparts imported. This unique situation provides an exceptional opportunity to examine the central tenets of life-course sociology. The empirical chapters of this book draw a comprehensive picture of life-course transformation, demonstrating how the combination of life-course dynamics coupled with an extraordinary pace of system change affect individual lives. How much turbulence was created by the transition and how much stability was preserved? How did the qualifications and resources acquired before 1989 influence the fortunes in the restructured economy? How did the privatization and reorganization of firms impact individuals? Did the transformation experiences differ by age/cohort and gender? How stable were social networks at work and in the family? Were personality characteristics important mediators of post-1989 success or failure, or were they rather changed by them? How specific were the East German life trajectories in comparison with those of Poland and West Germany?
John K. Nelson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824838331
- eISBN:
- 9780824870942
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824838331.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
This chapter explores a number of examples of innovation within religious traditions that, at first glance, indicate there have been benefits resulting from technological innovations, greater choice, ...
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This chapter explores a number of examples of innovation within religious traditions that, at first glance, indicate there have been benefits resulting from technological innovations, greater choice, and a restructuring of the economy. For one thing, a religious institution can reach a far greater audience online if they are able to find that elusive combination of appeal, product placement, and marketing that communicates to highly selective consumers. Some Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines have gone beyond the usual information about history and organization to provide actual services online: prayers, memorial rituals, the sale of amulets, and so on. Thus the chapter explores five areas where entrepreneurial creativity has drawn upon Buddhist traditions: new interment and commemorative practices, household altars for ancestral spirits, the memorialization of pets, temples hosting performances of all types and genres, and other outreach efforts to attract more patrons to temple services.Less
This chapter explores a number of examples of innovation within religious traditions that, at first glance, indicate there have been benefits resulting from technological innovations, greater choice, and a restructuring of the economy. For one thing, a religious institution can reach a far greater audience online if they are able to find that elusive combination of appeal, product placement, and marketing that communicates to highly selective consumers. Some Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines have gone beyond the usual information about history and organization to provide actual services online: prayers, memorial rituals, the sale of amulets, and so on. Thus the chapter explores five areas where entrepreneurial creativity has drawn upon Buddhist traditions: new interment and commemorative practices, household altars for ancestral spirits, the memorialization of pets, temples hosting performances of all types and genres, and other outreach efforts to attract more patrons to temple services.
